Controlling mechanism for dump cars



Dec. 18 1923; 31,472,747

J. D. BENBOW CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR DUMP CARS Filed Nov. 6. 1922 2 sheets-sheet 3 jar 1 v 2 a he Dec. 18,1923. wgm

J. D. BENBOW CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR DUMP CARS Filed Nov. 16. 1922 2 Sheets-=Sheei; 2

*2 38 29 5 12 8 15 I LL/ WJEEQS Patented Dec. 18, 1923.

JAMES D. BENBOW, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN VJHEELED CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR DUMP CARS.

Application filed November 16, 1922.

ToaZZ whom it may com com:

Be it known that I, JAMES D. Bnnnow, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Aurora, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controlling Mechanism for Dump Cars, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

My invention relates to mechanism for controlling the operation of dump cars of the type provided with a bed adapted to tilt to discharge its load at either side of the car, and with fluid pressure cylinders at opposite sides of the car for effecting the tilting of the bed and for righting it after the load has been dumped, and more particularly to controlling mechanisms for such cars characterized by the fact that a single control member is provided which is adapted to be operated from either side of the car to admit air or other fluid pressure to either of said cylinders to control the tilting of the bed in either direction. A control member of this type is shown and described in my application, Serial No.

272,099, filed January 20, 1919, now Patent No. 1,456,049, issued May 22, 1928, and the improvements which form the subject matter of my present application involve certain generic features of invention claimed in said application, and are, in certain respects, modifications of my said earlier apparatus.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and eiiicient controlling apparatus of the type and for the purpose mentioned, and also to provide a construction by which a controlling apparatus of that character may be applied to cars equipped with a single train pipe. I accomplish this object as illustrated in the drawings and as here inafter described. What I regard as new is set forthv in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing parts of the center sill of a dump car, and the general arrangement of the controlling apparatus as applied to a car equipped with a single train pipe;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal vertical section on line 3--3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4: is a view similar to Fig. 1 show- Serial No. 601,332.

ing my plied to a nd Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section on line 5-5 of Fig. l illustrating one of the three-way valves which form a part of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, 6 indicates two I-beams which are preferably used as the center sill of the car. In practice these I-beams are rigidly secured together and "form the frame of the under-body by which the car bed is supported so that it may rock about a longitudinal axis to dump its load at either side of the car. For the purposes of this application, it has been thought unnecessary to illustrate the car bed, the trucks, etc, the construction of which is well understood by those fan iliar with the art. 7 and 8 indicate the usual dumping cylinders which are located at opposite sides of the car, preferably midway of the length thereof, and are in substantially upright position. These cylinders are provided with pistons or plungers 9, 10, by the projection of which in an upward direction through the admission of compressed air to the lower ends of the cylinders 7, 8 the bed is tilted or righted, as the case may be. 11, 12 indicate automatic valves, preferably of the construction shown in my said pending application, by the operation of which air is admitted to or exhausted from the cylinders 7, 8. So far my present invention is concerned, it will be suiiicient to explain that the admission of compressed air from the train pipe or pipes to either of the automatic valves 11, 12 operates to project the plunger of the cylinder to which such valve is connected until the plunger reaches a certain predetermined point. when the further admission of air to the cylinder is automatically cut oil. Also, when the actuating pressure is cut oil from the auto matic valve it operates to exhaust the pressure in the cylinder connected therewith, so that the plunger may return to its initial position.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, 13, 13" indicate the opposite end portions of a train pipe which are arran ed at opposite sides and opposite end portions of the car and are connected by a transversely-arranged pipe section 13, thus forming a continuous Z-shaped pipe the end portions of which are improved controlling apparatus apa car equipped with two tram pipes;

struction of these tlireeway valves is fully chamber.

all times, however, the

illustrated in Fig. 5, from an inspection of which it will be seen that the valve comprises a body 18 having a valve chamber 19 in which operates a longitudinally-movable slide valve 20, the intermediate portion of which. is reduced in diameter, while its end portions are provided with cup washers 21, 22 which lit closely in the bore of the valve Near one end of the valve chamber is an annular duct 23 which communicates with a port- 2 l leading to an inlet pipe 25. The inlet pipe 25 also communicates by a duct or passage 26 with the inner end of the valve chamber. At an intermediate point the valve chamber is also provided with an annular duct 27 which connects with a port 28 leading to an outlet pipe 29, and at the opposite end portion of the valve chamber is an annular duct 30 which communicates with an exhaust port 31. The arrangement is such that by moving the slide valve 20 longitudinally in the valve chamber the inlet pipe 25 may be connected with the outlet pipe 29, or said outlet pipe may be connected with the exhaust port 31. In the drawing the latter position is shown. At inner end of the slide valve 20 is subjected to the pressure of the air coming in through the inlet pipe 25, so that the slide valve is normally moved to and held in its exl'iausting position shown in Fig. 5 by such air pressure. The slide valve 20 is provided with a plunger or red 32 which projects beyond the end of the valve casing and is employed for moving the valve 20 inwardly to connect the inlet pipe 25 with the outlet pipe 29.

The two valves 16, 17 are alike, but as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 they are oppositely mounted on the underbody of the car, that is' to say, their plungers 32 extend in opposite directions longitudinally of the car. Preferably the valves 16, 17 are secured in position by bolting them to angle plates 33 secured to the I-beams 6, as shown in Figs. 1 and 41.

The inlet pipe 25 of the three-way valve 16 is connected with the train pipe section 13 and as shown in Fig. 1 the outlet pipe 29 thereof is connected with the valve 11 by a pipe 34:. As also shown in said figure, and in Fig. 3, the inlet pipe 25 of the threeway valve 17 is connected with the train pipe section 13", preferably by a T-coupling shown in Fig. 1, and the outlet pipe of said three-way valve is connected by a pipe 36 with the valve 12. i I

From the foregoingdescription it will be understood that the train pipe pressure will normally hold the valve members 20 of both three-way valves 16, 17 in their exhausting position shown in Fig. 5, so that air will not be admitted from the train pipe to either of the cylinders 7, 8. If then it be desired to project the plunger 9, it is necessary to move the valve plunger 32 of the three-way valve 16 inwardly far enough to connect the train pipe with the pipe 3st, or if'it be desired to project the plunger 10, the valve plunger 32 of the three-way be moved inwardly, but it will be apparent that these two actuating movements of the plungers of the three-way valves are in opposite directions, since the valves 16,17 are oppositely disposed.

For operating the plungers of the'threeway valves, 1 provide a transversely-disposed rock shaft 37, which is suitably mounted on the side sills 38 of the car, and in the constructionshown is provided with down-turned ends 39, 40 by which it may be conveniently rocked. This rock shaft is located above the outer ends of the plunger-s of the three-way valves, and it is provided with two fixed depending arms ll, 42 which respectively extend over the outer ends of said valve plunger-s, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3. It will be apparent, therefore, that by rocking the shaft 37 in one direction from its neutral position one of its arms, as 4.1, will press inward on the valve plunger 32 with which it cooperates, while the other arm l2. will move away from its cooperating plunger, and vice versa. The result is that by rocking the shaft 3? in one direction air will be admitted to one of the cylinders 7 or '8 but not to the other, and by rocking said valve 17 must shaft in the opposite direction the other i cylinder alone will receive compressed air. Preferably the parts are arranged so that the operator standing in front of either of the handles 39 or 40 may dump the car away from him by swinging the handle to the left, bed toward himby swinging,

or may tilt the the handle to the right. The first movement is used for dun'iping the load, while the second is used for righting the bed. 7 Owing to the downturned handles 39, 40 and the depending arms 41, l2,the rock shaft tends to return neutral position, and hold it there until it is positively actuated. The operator may, of course, hold either of the slide valves 20 in its operative position as long as he pleases by means of the rock shaft 37.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated the same controllingapparatus applied to a car equipped with two train pipes 43, 44, in which case the three-way valve 16 is connected wit-h the train pipe 43 and the valve 17 with the train pipe 44. Except that with this arrangement the three-way valves receive air from separate train pipes, the operation is as has been described.

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A control mechanism for dump cars comprising fluid pressure cylinders for tilting the car bed in opposite directions, a valve associated with each of said cylinders for controlling the admission of fluid pressure thereto, a rock shaft dispose-d transversely of the car, and means for actuating one or the other of said valves by rocking said shaft in one direction or the other from its normal position.

2-. A control mechanism. for dump cars comprising fluid pressure cylinders for tilting the car bed in opposite directions, a three-way valve associated with each of said cylinders and adapted to be actuated to admit fluid pressure to or exhaust it from the cylinder with which it is associated, a rock shaft disposed transversely of the car, and means for actuating one or the other of said valves by rocking said shaft in one direction or the other from its normal position.

3. A control mechanism for dump cars comprising fluid pressure cylinders for tilting the car bed in opposite directions, a three-way valve associated with each of said cylinders for controlling the; admission of fluid pressure thereto, said valves being normally maintained and being adapted to be restored to inoperative position by fluid pressure, a rock shaft disposed transversely of the car, and means for actuating one or the other of said valves by rocking said shaft in one direction or the other from its normal position.

4. A control mechanism for dump cars comprising fluid pressure cylinders for tilting the car bed in opposite directions, oppositely disposed valves associated with said cylinders respectively for controlling the admission of fluid pressure thereto, a rock shaft disposed transversely of the car, and means for actuating one or the other of said valves by rocking said shaft in one direction or the other from its normal position.

5. A control mechanism for dump cars comprising fluid pressure cylinders for tilting the car bed in opposite directions, a valve associated with each of said cylinders for controlling the admission of fluid pressure thereto, each of said valves having a projecting plunger, a rock shaft disposed transversely of the car, and means carried by said rock shaft for actuating one or the other of said plungers.

6. A control mechanism for dump cars comprising fluid pressure cylinders for tilting the car bed in opposite directions, a valve associated with each of said cylinders for controlling the admission of fluid pressurethercto, each of said valves having a projecting plunger, a rock shaft disposed transversely of the car, and means carried by said rock shaft for actuating one or the other of said plungers by rocking said shaft in one direction or the other from its neutralposition.

7. A control mechanism for dump cars comprising fluid pressure cylinders for tilting the car bed in opposite directions, a valve associated with each of said cylinders for controlling the admission of fluid pressure thereto, each of said valves having a projecting plunger, a rock shaft disposed transversely of the car, and depending arms carried by said rock shaft adapted to engage and operate one or the other of said plungers when said rock shaft is rocked in one direction or the other from its neutral position.

8. A control mechanism comprising fluid pressure cylinders for tilting the car bed in opposite directions, a valve associated with each of said cylinders for controlling the admission of fluid pressure thereto, a rock shaft disposed transversely of the car, and means for actuating one or the other of said valves by rocking said shaft in one direction or the other from its normal position, said rock shaft being arranged to return to its neutral position by gravity.

9. A control mechanism for dump cars comprising fluid pressure cylinders for tilting the car bed in opposite directions, a three-way valve associated with each of said cylinders for controlling the admission of fluid pressure thereto or exhausting it therefrom, said valves being normally held in exhausting position by fluid pressure, a. rock shaft disposed transversely of the car and normally held in its normal position by fluid pressure, and means for actuating one or the other of said valves by rocking said shaft in one direction or the other from its neutral position.

10. A control mechanism for dump cars comprising fluid pressure cylinders for tilting the car bed in opposite directions, a valve associated with each of said cylinders for controlling the admission of fluid pressure there-to, a single train pipe for supplying fluid pressure to said valves, and a single operating device for actuating either of said valves independently of the for dump cars other to admit fluid pressure to one or the other of said cylinders. I

11. A control mechanism for dump cars comprising fluid pressure cylinders for tilting the car bed in opposite directions, a valve associated with each ofsaid cylinders for controlling the admission of fluid pressure thereto, a single train pipe for supplying fluid pressure to said valves,,and a rock shaft for actuating either of said valves independently of the other to admit fluid pressure to one or ders. v

12. A control mechanism for dump cars comprising fluid pressure cylinders for tilting the car bed in opposite directions, a valve associated with each of said cylinders for controlling the admission of fluid pressure thereto, a single train pipe forsupplythe otherioi" said oylin-,

comprising fluid pressure cylinders for tilt-I ing the carbe-d in opposite directions, op

positely disposed valves associated with said cylinders respectively for controlling the admission of fluid pressure thereto, a single train pipe connected with sfaidfvalves for supplying shaft disposed transversely of the car, and means forvac-tuating one or the other of said valves by rocking said shaftin one direction or the other from its neutral 130-.v sition.=

of the carfor said valves independ other to admit fluid pressure fluid pressure thereto, a rock JAMES D. BENBOW.. 

